Pumps and Pumping Stations

• Pumps add energy to fluids and therefore are accounted

for in the energy equation
• Energy required by the pump depends on:
– Discharge rate
– Resistance to flow (head that the pump must overcome)
– Pump efficiency (ratio of power entering fluid to power supplied
to the pump)
– Efficiency of the drive (usually an electric motor)

2 2
v p1 v p2
1
  z1  H pump    z2  H L
2

2g  2g 

v2
H L   h f   hminor   h f   Ki
2g
 Pump Jargon
• (Total) Static head – difference in head between suction
and discharge sides of pump in the absence of flow;
equals difference in elevation of free surfaces of the fluid
source and destination
• Static suction head – head on suction side of pump in
absence of flow, if pressure at that point is >0
• Static discharge head – head on discharge side of pump
in absence of flow

Static
discharge Total static
head head

Static suction
head
 Pump Jargon
• (Total) Static head – difference in head between suction
and discharge sides of pump in the absence of flow;
equals difference in elevation of free surfaces of the fluid
source and destination
• Static suction lift – negative head on suction side of
pump in absence of flow, if pressure at that point is <0
• Static discharge head – head on discharge side of pump
in absence of flow

Static
discharge
Total static head
head Static suction
lift
 Pump Jargon

Static
discharge
Static head
discharge Total static
head head (both) Static suction
lift
Static suction
head

Total static head  Static discharge head  Static suction head

 Static discharge head  Static suction lift

Note: Suction and discharge head / lift measured from pump centerline
 Pump Jargon
• (Total) Dynamic head, dynamic suction head or lift, and dynamic
discharge head – same as corresponding static heads, but for a
given pumping scenario; includes frictional and minor headlosses

Energy Line

Dynamic
discharge
Total head
dynamic
head

Dynamic
suction lift
Example. Determine the static head, total dynamic head (TDH), and
total headloss in the system shown below.

El = 730 ft

ps =6 psig
El = 640 ft

El = 630 ft pd =48 psig

Total static head  730 ft  630 ft  100 ft

 2.31 ft 
 
TDH   48   6   psi    124.7 ft
 psi 
H L  TDH  Static head  124.7  100 ft  24.7 ft
 Example. A booster pumping station is being designed to transport
water from an aqueduct to a water supply reservoir, as shown below.
The maximum design flow is 25 mgd (38.68 ft3/s). Determine the
required TDH, given the following:
• H-W ‘C’ values are 120 on suction side and 145 on discharge side
• Minor loss coefficients are
0.50 for pipe entrance
0.18 for 45o bend in a 48-in pipe
0.30 for 90o bend in a 36-in pipe
0.16 and 0.35 for 30-in and 36-in butterfly valves, respectively
• Minor loss for an expansion is 0.25(v22  v12)/2g

30 to 48 El = 6349 to

8500of 36 pipe w/one 6357 ft
expansion
90o bend and eight
El = 6127 to butterfly valves
6132 ft

Short 30 pipe w/30 4000of 48 pipe

butterfly valve w/two 45o bends
1. Determine pipeline velocities from v = Q/A..
v30= 7.88 ft/s, v36= 5.47 ft/s, v48= 3.08 ft/s

2. Minor losses, suction side:

v302
Entrance: hL  0.50  0.49 ft
2g
v302
Butterfly valve: hL  0.16  0.16 ft
2g
 v30
2
 v48
2

Expansion: hL  0.25    0.21 ft
 2g 
 2
v48 
Two 45o bends: hL  2*  0.18   0.05 ft
 2g 

h L ,minor  0.91 ft
3. Minor losses, discharge side:

 2
v36 
8 Butterfly valves: hL  8*  0.35   1.30 ft
 2g 
2
v36
One 90o bend: hL  0.30  0.14 ft
2g

h L ,minor  1.90 ft
4. Pipe friction losses:

1.85 1.85
hf Q   Q 
S  hf  L 
L  0.43CD 2.63   0.43CD 
2.63

1.85
 38.7 
h f ,suction   4000   2.63 
 2.76 ft
 0.43 120  48 /12  

1.85
 38.7 
h f ,discharge   8500   2.63 
 16.77 ft
 0.43 145 36 /12  
5. Loss of velocity head at exit:
2
v36
Exit: hL   0.46 ft
2g
6. Total static head under worst-case scenario (lowest water
level in aqueduct, highest in reservoir):

Static head   6357  6127 ft  230 ft

7. Total dynamic head required:

TDH  H static   hL ,minor   h f  hL ,exit

  230   0.91  1.90   2.76  16.77   0.46  ft

 252.8 ft
 Pump Power

Q  TDH  
P
 CF  E p
• P = Power supplied to the pump from the shaft; also called ‘brake
power’ (kW or hp)
• Q = Flow (m3/s or ft3/s)
• TDH = Total dynamic head
•  = Specific wt. of fluid (9800 N/m3 or 62.4 lb/ft3 at 20oC)
• CF = conversion factor: 1000 W/kW for SI, 550 (ft-lb/s)/hp for US
• Ep = pump efficiency, dimensionless; accounts only for pump,
not the drive unit (electric motor)

Useful conversion: 0.746 kW/hp

Example. Water is pumped 10 miles from a lake at elevation 100 ft to a
reservoir at 230 ft. What is the monthly power cost at $0.08/kW-hr,
assuming continuous pumping and given the following info:
• Diameter D = 48 in; Roughness e = 0.003 ft, Efficiency Pe =80%
• Flow = 25 mgd = 38.68 ft3/s
• T = 60o F El = 230 ft 2
• Ignore minor losses

10 mi of 48 pipe,
e =0.003 ft
El = 100 ft 1

v12 p1 v22 p2
  z1  H pump    z2  H L
2g  2g 

H pump  TDH z2  z1  H stat H L  hf

TDH  H stat  h f
 El = 230 ft 2

10 mi of 48 pipe,
e =0.0003 ft
El = 100 ft 1

TDH  H stat  h f

H stat   230  100 ft  130 ft Find f from Moody diagram

Lv  2
Re 
vD

 3.08 ft/s  4 ft 
 1.01x106
hf  f    1.22x105 ft 2 /s
D  2g 
e 0.003 ft
v  Q / A  3.08 ft/s   7.5x104
D 4 ft
 El = 230 ft 2

10 mi of 48 pipe,
e =0.0003 ft
e
El = 100 ft 1

Re  1.01x10 6  7.5x104
D

f  0.0185
  10*5280 ft    3.08 ft/s  
 2

h f   0.0187     36.4 ft
 4 ft   2  32.2 ft/s  
2 

TDH  H stat  hf  130  36.4 ft  166.4 ft

P
Q  TDH  

 38.68 ft 3
/s  166.4 ft   62.4 lb/ft 3
  918 hp
 CF E p  ft-lb/s 
 550 hp   0.80 
 

 kW   $0.08  hr 
Daily cost   918 hp   0.746   24   $1315 / d
 hp   kW-hr  d 
 Pump Selection
• System curve – indicates TDH required as a function of Q
for the given system
– For a given static head, TDH depends only on HL, which is
approximately proportional to v2/2g
– Q is proportion to v, so HL is approximately proportional to Q2 (or
Q1.85 if H-W eqn is used to model hf)
– System curve is therefore approximately parabolic
Example. Generate the system curve for the pumping scenario shown
below. The pump is close enough to the source reservoir that suction
pipe friction can be ignored, but valves, fittings, and other sources of
minor losses should be considered. On the discharge side, the 1000 ft
of 16-in pipe connects the pump to the receiving reservoir. The flow is
fully turbulent with D-W friction factor of 0.02. Coefficients for minor
losses are shown below.

K values
Suction Discharge
40 ft
1 @ 0.10 1 @ 0.12
1 @ 0.12 1 @ 0.20
6 ft
1 @ 0.30 1 @ 0.60
2 @ 1.00 4 @ 1.00
The sum of the K values for minor losses is 2.52 on the suction side
and 5.52 on the discharge side. The total of minor headlosses is
therefore 8.04 v2/2g.
An additional 1.0 v2/2g of velocity head is lost when the water enters
the receiving reservoir.
L v2  1000 ft  v
2
v2
The frictional headloss is: h f  f   0.02     15
D 2g  1.33 ft  2 g 2g

Total headloss is therefore (8.04+1.0+15.0)v2/2g = 24.04 v2/2g. v can be

written as Q/A, and A = pD2/ 4 = 1.40 ft2. The static head is 34 ft. So:

v2
TDH  H stat  H L  34 ft  24.04
2g

 34 ft  24.04
 Q /1.40 ft 2 2
 s2  2
 34 ft   0.19 5  Q
2  32.2 ft/s 
2
 ft 
 180
160
 s2  2
140 TDH  34ft   0.19 5  Q
120
 ft 
TDH (ft)

100
80
System curve
60
40 Static head
20
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Discharge, Q (ft3/s)
 Pump Selection

• Pump curve – indicates TDH provided by the pump as a

function of Q;
– Depends on particular pump; info usually provided by manufacturer
– TDH at zero flow is called the ‘shutoff head’
• Pump efficiency
– Can be plotted as fcn(Q), along with pump curve, on a single graph
– Typically drops fairly rapidly on either side of an optimum; flow at
optimum efficiency known as “normal” or “rated” capacity
– Ideally, pump should be chosen so that operating point corresponds
to nearly peak pump efficiency (‘BEP’, best efficiency point)
Pump Performance and Efficiency Curves

Shutoff head

Rated hp

Rated capacity
Pump Selection
 Pump Efficiency
• Pump curves depend on pump geometry (impeller D) and speed
 Pump Selection
• At any instant, a system has a single Q and a single TDH, so both
curves must pass through that point;  operating point is intersection of
system and pump curves
 Pump System Curve
• System curve may change over time, due to fluctuating reservoir levels,
gradual changes in friction coefficients, or changed valve settings.
 Pump Selection: Multiple Pumps
• Pumps often used in series or parallel to achieve desired pumping
scenario
• In most cases, a backup pump must be provided to meet maximum flow
conditions if one of the operating (‘duty’) pumps is out of service.
• Pumps in series have the same Q, so if they are identical, they each
impart the same TDH, and the total TDH is additive
• Pumps in parallel must operate against the same TDH, so if they are
identical, they contribute equal Q, and the total Q is additive

Adding a second
pump moves the
operating point “up”
the system curve,
but in different ways
for series and
parallel operation
Example. A pump station is to be designed for an ultimate Q of 1200
gpm at a TDH of 80 ft. At present, it must deliver 750 gpm at 60 ft.
Two types of pump are available, with pump curves as shown. Select
appropriate pumps and describe the operating strategy. How will the
system operate under an interim condition when the requirement is for
600 gpm and 80-ft TDH?
120
110
100
90
80
70
TDH (ft)

60
50
40 70
Efficiency, %

Pump B
30 60
20 50 Pump A

10 40
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate (gpm)
Either type of pump can meet current needs (750 gpm at 60 ft); pump
B will supply slightly more flow and head than needed, so a valve
could be partially closed. Pump B has higher efficiency under these
conditions, and so would be preferred.

120
110
100
90
80
70
TDH (ft)

60
50
40 70
Efficiency, %

Pump B
30 60
20 50 Pump A

10 40
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate (gpm)
The pump characteristic curve for two type-B pumps in parallel can be
drawn by taking the curve for one type-B pump, and doubling Q at
each value of TDH. Such a scenario would meet the ultimate need
(1200 gpm at 80 ft), as shown below.

120
110
100
90
80
70
TDH (ft)

60
50
40 70
Efficiency, %

Pump B
30 60
20 50 Pump A

10 40
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate (gpm)
A pump characteristic curve for one type-A and one type-B pump in
parallel can be drawn in the same way. This arrangement would also
meet the ultimate demand. Note that the type-B pump provides no
flow at TDH>113 ft, so at higher TDH, the composite curve is identical
to that for just one type-A pump. (A check valve would prevent reverse
flow through pump B.) Again, since type B is more efficient, two type-
B pumps would be preferred over one type-A and one type-B.
120
One A and one
110 B in parallel
100
90
80
70
TDH (ft)

60
50
40 70
Efficiency, %

Pump B
30 60
20 50 Pump A

10 40
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate (gpm)
At the interim conditions, a single type B pump would suffice.
A third type B pump would be required as backup.

120
One A and one
110 B in parallel
100
90
80
70
TDH (ft)

60
50
40 70
Efficiency, %

Pump B
30 60
20 50 Pump A

10 40
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate (gpm)